Stepper Drive That Can Use Encoder For Position Verification

Hello, Im exploring a way to use encodes on my steppers / Stepper Drive That Can ulitize Encoders For Position Verification, and lost steps?

Can this be done in mach 4?

Is the intention that you will stop a cutting process if you're over a certain threshold? Many steppers with encoders (and internal controllers) have position maintenance routines that will correct the position after a move has happened.

Mach3 might be able to read your encoder values, but it's a certain level of programming if you intend to do anything with that information.

There are close loop stepper motors that actively seek to a position like a servo, but again, implementation takes some massaging.

Copley Controls makes a promising product:
Copley Controls - Stepnet - Stepper Drive - CANopen - CAN bus
STP-075-07 or STP-075-10

Quote:

---

Stepnet is a 100% digital stepping motor amplifier which can operate in two control modes,
stepper or servo. In stepper mode, conventional microstepping techniques are used. In servo
mode, stepping motors fitted with encoders can be operated as DC brushless servo motors in
closed loop current, velocity or position modes.
Stepnet can operate as a stand-alone amplifier or as a networked CANopen or DeviceNet node. It
can also be controlled using the Copley ASCII interface over a serial connection. The multi-drop
feature allows CME 2 or other ASCII serial controller to use an RS-232 serial connection to one
amplifier as a gateway to other amplifiers linked together by CAN bus connections. The Stepnet
can also be controlled by a Copley Virtual Machine (CVM) program running on the amplifier.
Stepnet amplifiers can be networked with Copley Accelnet and Xenus digital servo amplifiers.
When operating as a stand-alone amplifier, Stepnet can accept incremental position commands
from step-motor controllers in Pulse and Direction or Count Up/Count Down formats, as well as
A/B quadrature commands from a master-encoder. Pulse to motor position ratio is programmable
for electronic gearing. In servo mode Stepnet can also accept PWM torque or velocity commands.

Stepper Mode
In stepper mode, the amplifier operates as a traditional, open position loop, stepper amplifier. With
the addition of optional encoder feedback in stepper mode, the amplifier can monitor and report
actual motor position and optionally apply a proportional gain to correct following error. Also, a
position-tracking window can be set up along with a programmable following error warning and
fault.
Servo Mode
In servo mode with motor encoder feedback, the amplifier operates as a true, closed loop, servo
amplifier controlling a stepper motor. Using motor encoder feedback, the amplifier can monitor
actual motor position and velocity and correct its output so the motor follows the commanded input
precisely. The amplifier can be configured to accept current, velocity, or position commands.
Use of the amplifier in servo mode can result in quieter operation and reduced power
consumption.

---

I was hoping to use my gecko G203V drives.... encoder in some way

Has anyone used hybrid stepper motors im not sure if the drive control need to be replaced....